Jul/Aug 2018 #GettingBusinessDone gatwickdiamondbusiness.com Design By Sponsored By JEREMY’S JOTTINGS Mixed emotions as I’m sad, proud and excited. and delivered the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards and, I firmly believe, we Sad to be leaving an organisation that have created thousands of opportunities has been a major part of my life for 14 for businesses to connect and grow. years in this century and 6 years in the last! It has been an honour to work with so We’ve also lobbied and pressed on many many outstanding businesses and other issues to support the area and gdb is organisations that make up the Gatwick now the respected and informed voice of Diamond and beyond. business in the region. Proud to see the evolution from a I’m sure that the next Chief Executive relatively small & parochial networking will face challenges as well as welcome group that delivered 10 events in my opportunities and will continue to deliver first year, with around 150 members and for the membership and for the wider a turnover of c£80,000. Today, a team Gatwick Diamond Region. As for me, I’ll of six are delivering in the region of 100 still be in the area and hope to catch up at events to over 450 members and turnover some point in the future exceeds £500,000. Every one of ‘Jeremy’s Jottings’ has closed And, of course, I’m excited for what is to with ‘I look forward to working with you’. come for both gdb and for me. But this time I’d like to say ‘I’ve enjoyed After 14 years the time is right for a working with you’ new custodian of gdb. The organisation So Long, Farewell has a fantastic team and we are in the Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye strongest position I can think of across Adieu, adieu, to you & you & you the past 65 years. It is with very mixed emotions that, after Across the years I’ve worked with 8 14 years & around 80 editions, I write Chairmen, we’ve held 98 Executive my final ‘Jeremy’s Jottings’ in the gdb Council Meetings, 15 AGMs and hundreds Magazine, the Source. of networking and learning events, created Chairman’s Column My two-year term as Chairman comes to So we will develop the new business plan, for an end shortly, though I’m very pleased to 2023 when gdb celebrates its 70th anniversary! say I am continuing for another term. We’ve achieved so much in this time, but always so We’ll be doing this with a new Chief Executive many more possibilities! as, after 14 years, Jeremy is moving on. We’re planning the transition period to We held a strategy session recently for the ensure gdb continues to run smoothly. gdb Executive - we looked at how we work now, what are our challenges & opportunities. It has been a great 14 years and I’m so pleased with how gdb has become such a We know we do networking well - building well-recognised and respected organisation. business relationships. We’ll do more of the I am sure you will join me in wishing Jeremy same & also try different approaches, to get all the very best! all members working together. Over the last couple of years we have made Representing our members, we are the voice real progress with a great team in place, a of business in the region. We will continue to dynamic membership, as well as more varied work with other bodies (e.g. BEIS, C2C, GDI) and valued services. to contribute to economic strategies. The new gdb Chief Executive... could it be you? As in all things, communication is key. We’ll Details & job description are on the website plan targeted regional & national promotions. - applications by CV by 16th July. Or if you We will connect members, for collaborations know someone who’d be great for the role, & partnership working. We will share info please do pass this info on to them. amongst the membership so we all benefit. We look forward to the next exciting stage Anya Ledwith At our next session, the Executive will of gdb’s growth. Eshcon Ltd explore further how gdb can contribute to issues such as workspace, skills, transport & [email protected] funding, plus work-life balance, environment www.eshcon.co.uk/gdb & the out-commute. 2 gatwickdiamondbusiness.com GDB 21st November 2018 THE ARORA HOTEL, CRAWLEY Don’t just Meet the Buyers get yourself connected The Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyers Programme brings together Buyers and Suppliers to help each other grow their businesses. For Buyers, you will have the opportunity For Suppliers, you will be able to access the to meet new Suppliers of the products and kind of businesses you simply cannot reach services you need as well as explore ways elsewhere, with face to face meetings with to solve your procurement issues. their procurement professionals. From June 2018, there will be a programme of free Seminars to help you understand how to engage with Public Sector and large businesses that are seeking new suppliers as well as improve your general sales processes. t: 01293 813889 e: [email protected] www.GatwickDiamondMeettheBuyers.com @GDMeettheBuyers Sponsored by the Source - Jul/Aug 2018 3 gdb gdb Charity Challenge 2018 & Raffle Raises Thousands for Charity The gdb Charity Challenge took place at raising awareness for their charity. Charity, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Young Enterprise, The South of England Event Centre on After using all that energy on the 'It's a Young Epilepsy, West Sussex Mediation Service 10th May 2018. The teams met for a fun knockout' events, participants enjoyed a filled afternoon of fully supervised 'It's a delicious 2 course alfresco Paella dinner and Many thanks to everyone who gave their Knockout' events.Teams included: 4D Data canapé desserts, courtesy of Paella Fella. support with special mention to our raffle Centres, B&CE, The People’s Pension, 2 prize donators Canon UK, Porsche Centre teams from Chestnut Tree House Children’s To add to all the fun, tickets for the gdb Mid Sussex, South Lodge Hotel, British Hospice, DMH Stallard LLP, Driver Hire charity raffle were on sale from early this Airways i360, Hilton London Gatwick, Gatwick Gatwick, Gatwick Express, Kingston Smith year. Top prizes included a Canon SX620 HS Footgolf, Brighton Harbour Hotel, Crawley LLP, Kreston Reeves, McCrudden Training, Powershot, Half Day Driving Experience at Town Football Club, Hartsfield Manor, Natwest, Porsche Centre Mid-Sussex, Porsche Experience Centre and many more! Holiday Inn Gatwick Airport, The Old Ship Richard Place Dobson and Storm12. Hotel Brighton, The Hawth Theatre; ABC All of this in aid of the following charities: Eventsafe for providing first aid cover; Sussex The event was a great team building activity Chestnut Tree House, Dame Vera Lynn Promotions for sponsoring the gdb team attire for colleagues, clients and new contacts to Children's Charity, Golden Lion Childrens and LPG Photographic for the photography. build stronger relationships. The gdb Charities Trust, Kent Sussex & Surrey Air Ambulance, were out in force with an ‘on the day’ raffle and NSPCC, The Olive Tree Cancer support Centre, A grand total of £4,070 was raised for our tuck shop, whilst cheering the teams on and Rockinghorse, St Catherine's Hospice, SASH member charities. ‘I Need A …’ Noticeboard Leads to Charity Challenge Success! You may have read recently about this year’s the members meeting, handed it to Mandi and, hugely successful Charity Challenge, which shortly afterwards, received an email from Jim raised thousands of pounds for local Charity. at printing.com, offering to help.” This year, the group made use of the ‘I Need A …’ initiative to enlist the help of another A brief email conversation led to the design gdb member - printing.com. and print of the 2m x 1m vinyl banner you can see pictured, which was up at the venue just “We needed a large, printed banner at the two weeks later. venue, advertising the Charity Challenge to the general public, in the weeks leading up to “It’s great that the gdb team makes such The ‘I Need A …’ noticeboard is available the event,” said Nick Handley, of West Sussex an effort to bring members together in this at every members meeting, and the gdb Mediation Service. “I thought, ‘what better way way,” commented Jim Bolt, of printing.com. team are always available to help make the to get one printed than by looking amongst the “When members support other members connections. If you’d like to find out more gdb membership?’ The process was so simple; like this, the whole of gdb benefits through about this particular project, contact Jim on I just filled in the ‘I Need A …’ request form at their successes.” [email protected]. Kreston Reeves – your partner in business The demands and needs of businesses, their businesses looking to raise funds, merge or and transaction support teams. Over his career owners and senior management teams are sell up. International investment also remains Jack has concentrated on SME and mid- constantly changing. Opportunities are created strong and continues to drive activity. market clients and has major achievements by new and emerging technologies and changing in developing business in both the South East political landscapes. In June, Kreston Reeves further strengthened of England and East and South East Asia. His its corporate finance offering merging with international exposure and global contact Successful businesses need successful advisers Surrey-based corporate finance boutique network complements the firm’s work with its that understand these challenges and can bring SamCorp and appointing Jack Clipsham as partners in the Kreston International network.